2 Conservation Victories on Capitol Hill!

Two key pieces of legislation for land trusts across the nation were signed into law in December 2015.

In a great victory for landowners interested in conservation, the enhanced tax incentive for conservation easement donations was made permanent after many years of advocacy and leadership by the Land Trust Alliance and its member land trusts – and strong bipartisan support. These incentives are an important tool for JHLT and our private landowner partners. For more information about the enhanced tax incentive, please visit the LTA website.

The Land and Water Conservation Fund was also reauthorized for three years, with increased funding. A Land and Water Conservation Fund grant was key to the successful completion of a recent JHLT project, enabling the transfer of the Poison Creek inholding to the Bridger-Teton National Forest in 2013.

“This is a historic day for the Jackson Hole Land Trust and land conservation community. The permanent federal tax incentives for conservation, as well as reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, will help us leverage our land conservation efforts to protect high priority open spaces together with our landowner and agency partners,” said Laurie Andrews, Jackson Hole Land Trust executive director and Land Trust Alliance board member.